‘Fresh Air’ host Tonya Mosley discusses her career path and experiences as a Black journalist, as well as her personal exploration of psilocybin treatment for racial trauma.
Career journey: Tonya Mosley’s passion for journalism stems from her childhood in Detroit, leading to her current role as co-host of ‘Fresh Air’.
* Starting her career as a teleprompter operator, Mosley worked her way up in local TV news and later shifted to public radio, often finding herself the only Black person in the newsroom.
* Mosley has worked as the Silicon Valley bureau chief of KQED in San Francisco, anchor of the midday news show ‘Here & Now’, and creator and host of the Webby Award-winning podcast ‘Truth be Told’.
Facing obstacles: Throughout her career, Mosley has faced scrutiny and dismissal of stories about the Black community.
* She often felt the need to be twice as good as her peers due to the additional scrutiny on her as the only Black member of the newsroom.
* In addition, she consistently had to fight for coverage of certain communities, feeling the need to justify why their stories should be told.
Personal insights: Mosley’s experience as a Black woman in America provides a unique perspective for her journalism.
* She believes her personal experiences allow her to cover stories in a more nuanced way, adding valuable context and understanding.
Healing trauma: Mosley has explored the use of psilocybin, a psychedelic drug found in magic mushrooms, as a method of healing racial trauma.
* Her podcast ‘Truth Be Told’s new season focuses on the use of psilocybin to address racial trauma.
* As part of her reporting, Mosley participated in a therapeutic mushroom retreat in Jamaica, which she says contributed to improved balance and a shift away from workaholic tendencies.
Living in Detroit: Mosley recalls a complex childhood in Detroit, marked by fear and crime, but also love and community connection, forming her drive to address societal issues in her work.
* Her upbringing in Detroit, particularly during the economic downturn of the ’80s and ’90s, significantly influences her work.
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